Not that these things matter at all and I agree bigbub, outside T30 or really T14 + other regional elites, rankings don't matter except for the fact that other people think believe that they do. Anyway, it is for those who do believe in it that I bother to notice the rankings.

1. Going up is better than down2. +7 is a good amount (not st.johns climb, but good)3. They really went up because of admissions, I don't even think the Dean could have made a difference for this year's rankings. This means more of a positive trajectory going forward most likely. Competition this year is yet another contributing factor for prospective trajectory. Moreover, attendance of people in that competitive admissions pool will most likely be higher because people are more debt adverse in a recession. Additionally, people are starting to figure out that USNWR is built on sand.

If anything - as I have mentioned before- just the fact that a school like RU is in the top 100, when they can't spend their way into it or exclude the community at large for whom it serves, is a tribute to the quality of the school. Imagine if Rutgers decided to change their mission and admissions processes to match that of non-elite private schools? They'd be where Maryland, George Mason, Indiana, Illinois all are. They very well may decide to do just that or some variation in between because of the reality of this self-fulfilling prophecy of the USNWR. However, its those students who are wise enough to discern the impact of these observations from arbitrarily picking schools who do EVERYTHING in their power to climb the USNWR (and even survey about it after one withdraws from the admissions pool.) For example I mean if SHU and RU's numbers are comparable, but SHU accept 49%, when RU accepts 27%, then how much is SHU possibly hustling to keep their rank so high. I doubt that RU is getting that many applicants BELOW their ave range. I'd find it hard to believe that if they wanted to just climb the rankings they couldn't easily retain a solidly higher 25th% LSAT and GPA and maybe a slightly higher 75%. Its almost pathetic to see how small the results are for SHU and how effortless it would be for a school like RU if they were only concerned with USNWR. Instead they have to deal with their other concerns + USNWR.

4. I am a bit relieved about Cardozo's negligible drop, but a drop nonetheless. Their school does intrigue me, but the employments numbers directly out of school in this year's rankings + the fact they didn't continue to climb within top 50 incrementally toward where it may actually matter in the future, makes me feel more like its 200K well saved then if the opposite scenario were true.

5. If number 3 is true, then RU by the time we graduate will be CLEARLY (as opposed to more/less equivocally) NJ's prominent law school.

pink_law14 wrote:sadly no response yet.. complete as of 2/12.. but my friend heard yesterday and he went complete late Feb (clearly after me) what is goin on??? He had a substantially lower LSAT score (about 15 points) and around the same GPA.

Ugh I just want to know whats going on!!!! Also, his status checker still says "File Complete" and he received his letter in the mail yesterday, so I think the people in the office lie when they say that no decision has been made yet.

Don't worry, PinkLaw, I have been complete as of 2.2 and still haven't heard either.

FACTRutgers rank increased because they admitted me into last years class

FACTRutgers rank increased because US News now counts the total number of TLS posts a school receives

FACTRutgers rank increased because they fired the evil lady in the law school cafe and students bought more coffee, thus raising revenue

So...I see all this talk about rank. So did Rutgers rank increase? Or was that Rutgers-Camden? I thought I saw something about Camden too.How do you guys find out when the ranking come out, and where are they are? Is there some kind of a distro-list or do they just come out the same day every year on the US news page?

I don't follow the ranking system, I'll admit, and everything I know about it has to do with the actual methodology. And I know just enough to know they're absolutely ridiculous and make very little sense (personally, I think the American Idol voting system would be a better alternative. We could just vote schools off the list).

But I do realize the factor they play in the admissions process. So, for those of you that have decided to do your actual research on a law school, and have made a commitment to finding the right school for you and not just the right number, kudos! This really is a tough process, and USNews can cause a bit of buyers remorse, and a lot of self-doubt.Ranking are not lost on the entire school. Rutgers is holding it's 2nd annual "Raise the ranking" fundraiser. So maybe it really is working, if the school did rise in the rankings.It's a really easy fundraiser, actually. We show up make a donation, drink beer. DONE! Apparently someone has figured out that if you give money you can "check the box" for alumni gifts, thus raising the rankings. You too can come out and help raise the rankings. Tomorrow in the Law school atrium 6:30-9:30. Bring $$$$

nevermind--i found the rankings

Last edited by Rutgers1L_10 on Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Just getting back from a networking event and met a number of RU-N alumni...I am happy to report that they were working at top firms or corporations and were so excited to hear I was going to RU-N. I must say, the camaraderie among the students and alumni base is astounding and something that I'm most looking forward to. I didn't get this experience at my undergrad so I'm thankful that RU-N alumni seem to look out for each other.

@Keg411 - hooray that RU-N is looking attractive again! When do you need to make your final decision?

wizoz wrote:Just getting back from a networking event and met a number of RU-N alumni...I am happy to report that they were working at top firms or corporations and were so excited to hear I was going to RU-N. I must say, the camaraderie among the students and alumni base is astounding and something that I'm most looking forward to. I didn't get this experience at my undergrad so I'm thankful that RU-N alumni seem to look out for each other.

@Keg411 - hooray that RU-N is looking attractive again! When do you need to make your final decision?

I have until May 1st for Camden. My seat is already saved at RU-N, though.

And yes RU-N rose this year whereas RU-C dropped. What a difference a day makes . The funny thing is that I convinced my family on Newark and then flipped back to Camden and now I'm back at square one. I do have an event coming up where I can pick the brains of some lawyers (that aren't my parents) later this month, so maybe that will help.

nyjfanjmk wrote:Has anyone tried negotiating scholarships? I'm down to Rutgers and one other school and that other school just offered me some more money, so I'd be curious to see if I could get that matched or not.

nyjfanjmk wrote:Has anyone tried negotiating scholarships? I'm down to Rutgers and one other school and that other school just offered me some more money, so I'd be curious to see if I could get that matched or not.

nyjfanjmk wrote:Has anyone tried negotiating scholarships? I'm down to Rutgers and one other school and that other school just offered me some more money, so I'd be curious to see if I could get that matched or not.

Why? Are you? I mean 24 E, to 78 E would be my ride. Still the same ride just further west. I used to be 15 min away from the airport growing up in essex, now the prospective Morris location would be more like 25...30 min.

inSouthAmerica wrote:yeah, but i gotta get to 24 to get to 79 though, takes about 20 minutes. or i can go 10 to 287 to 80 to 280. or i can go 10 all the way if i go early enough.

10 to 287 to 80 to 280 may be the best bet if it takes 20 minutes just to get to 24. Def not Rt. 10 all the way. You gotta deal with liiights, then you gotta deal with traaaaffic, sometimes even in the mooorning. I dunno, maybe I'm wrong about 10, but I'd get off at 287.

I really wonder how bad the traffic is goin N on the turnpike in the morning. How bad of timing is the late track going to be for traffic? Maybe I should wake up with the roosters and go early track